This story is a work of fiction, none of the characters are based on real people, any similarities with people or places are coincidence, this story contains sexual activities with consenting adult males, if the content of this story is illegal in the area you are in to read this content read at your own discretion it is illegal to copy this story all right are reserved to the author
Written by Mark A Larner
Edited by Darryl the Radio Rancher
For comments and feedback contact me at markalarner@live.com.au
This story is a sequel to Elemental Circle, however it can be read without reading Elemental Circle
The palace sat in the center of the sprawling city, constructed of glass and white stone. The towers and domes of the cities buildings shone in the early morning sunlight. In the sky, two of the planet's three moons were still visible. From above, the city was well planned and set up. Pete watched the city from above. He was pretty sure he was dreaming. Suddenly his position changed, he found himself in what was clearly a bedroom.
Looking around he was surprised to see that although the city had looked like something from the past. The room he found himself in was surprisingly modern, filled with modern conveniences. Pete moved carefully, trying to draw as little attention to himself as he could. "Don't worry I know you are there." A voice called from the balcony that Pete hadn't noticed. Still not sure what was going on, Pete moved toward the balcony door. What he saw shocked him. Standing on the balcony was himself. His own ice blue eyes looked at him as if from a mirror. The other him broke into a grin. "Disconcerting, isn't it?." Pete nodded not trusting his own voice to work.
The other him turned to the city and smiled sadly. "It's a beautiful city isn't it?" Pete nodded his agreement. "Of cause it's a thing of memory now, our memory to be accurate ". Pete was confused, the other him smiled again and took his hand. "This day is the day before the day they came."
Suddenly Pete felt himself drawn into even more memories. There was a war between his people and another race of beings. Humanity had spread over six systems. In those systems they had re-formed the worlds to be habitable. The other race of beings was jealous of the power and peace that humanity maintained on their worlds. Pete watched as each world and system fell. He felt as each year went past as if he had lived it. He and his circle gathered what remained of the human race and the elemental spirits from their worlds. With the aid of the dragons and the most powerful circles they shifted everything that was left to a new world.
On the new world, humanity started again with the dragons watching over them. Pete and his circle and the other remaining circles faced their foe one last time. They all knew that at some time in the future they would be reborn on the new world. The new world was Earth; the last hope of humanity was Earth.
Pete woke with a start; all he called here was hysterical crying and screaming. Rob rushed to his little brother closely followed by Nichole and the rest of their circle. Nichole took one look at Pete who was clinging to his older brother sobbing into his shoulder. She and the others had all known Pete suffered from nightmares. But never before had he reacted so vocally. Nichole placed her hand on
Pete's head as a Fifth with a circle, she did what she could. She made Pete fall into a deep dreamless sleep. Or what she hoped would be dreamless. She then looked over at Dan and Jack. Both nodded understanding what she wanted them to do.
Rob placed his little brother back into his queen sized bed. Dan and Jack got into the bed either side of Pete and held him. Nichole gave Rob a reassuring look. "Don't worry, he will sleep until he needs to be up." Rob nodded his understanding.
Pete woke early. He felt groggy. He also felt warm and safe. Dan and Jack had held him throughout the rest of the night. Pete first hugged one and then the other. He was so happy to see them alive. Pete would have liked to have brushed the whole dream off as nothing more than an over active imagination. However, he knew that what he had seen and now remembered had all happened. His memories of the past were like those of the future that he had prevented from happening.
Pete got up and walked into his bathroom. The shower helped clear the last of the sleep from his mind. Today was the day that he started at his new school again. Pete wasn't sure how he felt about it. On one hand, he would see his circle, not that they were a circle at the moment. On the other, the dragons had told him that they would not remember anything of what happened. And if they didn't remember what happened, they didn't remember him.
Pete looked into the mirror. His face had matured; he now looked sixteen. He was still short and slim. However he knew that his slim body was well toned. His hair was typically midway down his back. He cut it off at about shoulder length. Sighing he knew it was as good as it was getting. As he walked back into his bedroom, he was startled to see the Queen dragon sitting on his bed.
Bowing his head slightly, he felt a wave of dread wash over him. "They have found us haven't they", Pete spoke in a quiet voice. The queen dragon nodded her head. "Is there any chance of us getting to them before they report back to the council of worlds?" She stood before answering, even in human form she was taller than Pete. "No Peter, they will have already reported back." Pete nodded sadly he understood. "Has the rest of the council realised you and your kind's involvement in our disappearance." She shook her head. "Then my old friend, it is time you returned to the council. You and yours must leave before you are discovered."
The Queen Dragon looked at the small Fifth. "For what it's worth, Pete I'm glad you remember. I will return to my mate and we will see what support we can gather for you in the council." Pete nodded his thanks. "And Pete, don't take too long to restore the others' memories. You are going to need all the help you can get." Pete nodded sadly, and watched as one of his oldest friends disappeared. Oddly, she had left a package behind.
The package was old. Opening it he found a wooden box with the Guild crest engraved on it. Pete smiled to himself. Rich had clearly left the box for him. Opening it, he found a thick leather bound book. A map and a letter addressed to him.
Dear Peter,
If you are receiving this, all went well in the future. As promised myself and my circle formed the Guild. Who would have thought it when I was younger that I would essentially be the one to form the Guild I hated so. The map indicates the location of the ship, and your powers which I fear you will need.
I will keep this brief as the Queen Dragon explained a few things to us. I'm sorry that we will not be able to help with your coming battles. However the book contains our early history and the old rituals as well as some that we developed ourselves. Sadly this is the best we could do. Take care, Pete
Richard.
Pete carefully folded the letter and placed it back in the box. He removed the book knowing that it was his and humanity's only hope.
Brendon watched the slender twenty year old Fifth walk across the car park with a big Elemental. The Elemental had black hair and blue eyes. The Fifth was a goddess with flowing locks of bright red hair. "I wonder who they dropped off", Brendon said, not taking his gaze off of the fifth. Derik looked over and shrugged. It was clear to the five boys that whoever the pair had dropped off were already in the school grounds. "I hope it's a cute Fifth" was Simon's response. Greg and Jim looked over at the fifth and shrugged. "Knowing our luck, it will be a girl", Derik laughed. The other four joined in.
Greg looked at the pair and felt as if he recognised them. It wouldn't have surprised him if he did, as he was an abnormality as the Guild had put it. As a small child, Greg had shown similar characteristics to that of a Fifth. As he had grown older that had proved not to be the case. This didn't really surprise Greg since his having power of any kind was plain abnormal in itself. Greg came from a normal family. No Elementals and certainly no Fifths. As far as the Guild was concerned, Greg was an abnormality. Greg didn't really mind as his abnormality let him share the same world as his four best friends.
Pete watched the five. They looked happy and innocent of the troubles they had faced. Pete took a deep breath and turned, heading to form. He knew it would only be a matter of time before his circle would remember what they had been through. He only hoped that he could prevent them from remembering what had happened in their past life.
Pete stood waiting to enter his year eleven English class. He had spotted Tiff, who was walking toward him. Pete tried to stand as tall as he could, trying to make himself appear taller. "Are you lost?" Tiff asked. Pete nearly burst out into fits of laughter. His expression must have annoyed Tiff, she did not look impressed. "Well, if you're going to be a dick about it", she said in a huff, turning away. "Sorry, no it's just that, that's the normal reaction I get from people." Tiff immediately brightened. "Well, you are short and don't really look sixteen", Tiff trailed off. Pete looked at her sharply and saw a slight confusion come into her eyes.
Pete waited for Tiff to go on. "You know, I get the feeling that we have had this conversation. Well no, not this one but one very much like it." Pete smiled at her nodding his agreement. The Queen Dragon had said that some people may get the feeling of repeating conversations with him. "Perhaps it was just meant to be", Pete grinned at Tiff who grinned back. "Anyway it's nice to meet you Tiff, my name's Pete." Pete's eyes went wide when he realized what he had done. Unfortunately he wasn't the only one to notice.
Tiff frowned at the new boy. "How do you know my name", it was clear she was confused. Pete looked around frantically. He noticed the rest of the class had started to enter the classroom. "That's funny, Tiff, you told me, so are we going in or what." Tiff frowned she was sure she hadn't told Pete her name. "Yea let's go in," Tiff was still frowning as she followed Pete in. She wasn't sure why but she was positive that she knew Pete from somewhere.
Derik was surprised to see a short slender guy leaving the school grounds with Tiff. "What you watching??" Bren asked as he walked up to Derik. Derik pointed at the guy with Tiff. "It looks like Tiff has a new friend." Bren looked over to where Derik was pointing and grinned. "Should I be jealous?" He said shoving Derik's shoulder. Derik grinned at his boyfriend and nodded intending to give Bren some shit. "I should think so. I mean come on look at that tight little body so cute." Bren laughed and shoved Derik again. "You are right, he is fucking cute. Still him being here explains why we haven't seen Tiff today." Derik nodded his agreement. All five boys had noticed and commented on the fact that Tiff had not been around.
"What we looking at", Jim asked. Both Bren and Derik pointed to Tiff and her friend. Jim looked at the pair and smiled. "I'm guessing air; he's too small to be anything else." Jim was shoved to the ground by a rather pissed looking Simon. "He's not air", Simon glared at Jim. "I'm not sure what he is. I couldn't get anything from him when I brushed past them earlier. Greg grinned at his friends. "Maybe he's a cute little Fifth, after all, that Fifth and Elemental must have dropped him off." The others all looked back over at the two younger teens walk away. "I'm sure Tiff will tell us when she finds out. And she would be able to tell now being so close to him, she has grown stronger." Derik said not taking his eyes off of the slender boy. The others nodded their agreement each of them lost in their own thoughts.
Tiff watched Pete closely as they walked to his place. She had more or less invited herself. Despite that, Pete didn't seem to mind. Tiff was confused with how comfortable she felt around Pete. To cover her confusion she maintained a constant chatter a skill she had perfected over time. She was also somewhat frustrated with Pete. The boy possessed the ability to change the direction of a conversation at will. All through the day Tiff had wanted to confirm her suspicion that Pete was one of the rare male Fifths. Pete stopped in front of a large house. Tiff knew it instantly. "Well I hope that answers the question you have been dying to ask all day." Was all Pete said before taking Tiff inside.
Too stunned to respond, Tiff just followed all wide eyed and excited. Tiff had been told the story of how a male Fifth had won some kind of battle, which had left everyone else around him dead. A calm female voice called out from the kitchen. "Hay little one, how was your first day?" Pete looked at Tiff and smiled. "That's Nichole, she's my brother's Fifth." Tiff followed Pete into the kitchen. Pete smiled at Nichole. "It went well, this is Tiff. She's an Earth." Tiff watched the pair of Fifths it was
clear they were close. "Rob's out in the garden he could no doubt show Tiff a few things." Pete nodded his agreement and took Tiff out to the back garden.
Alice walked into the kitchen. "How did it go", Nichole looked at her air Elemental and shrugged. Alice frowned, "All I can really say is he isn't trying to make everything as it was." Alice looked relieved to hear that Pete wasn't trying to keep everything the same as it was last time. "Do you think he knows that the dragons left our memories intact?" Nichole shrugged again not sure what Pete knew. "What happened before doesn't really concern me. What worries me is the nightmare last night that was different." Alice nodded her agreement. They both knew that the first time around Pete had had a nightmare. However they also knew that Pete had never been that upset before.
The two women turned at the sound of the back door opening. The general chatter coming from the three that had re-entered was focused around Earth skills. Nichole smiled listening to Tiff talk to Rob, it was clear that the girl was excited to talk to another Earth Elemental about being in a circle. Pete smiled at the two women as he passed with Tiff, distracting the other teen long enough to let Rob make his escape.
Rob walked into the kitchen and hugged his Fifth. "How is he?" Rob looked away trying to put his thoughts into words. "He's different, harder and more serious." The women nodded, Dan and Jack entered the kitchen. Jack looked at his Fifth, Nichole nodded once. Jack had told her his suspicions earlier in the day. "If I were to guess, I would say he now remembers more than the changed future. I think he now knows at least part of his past life."
Jack looked at his Fifth and fellow Elementals. Rob was the first to break the silence. "How can you say that about him, surly I would??" Alice laughed interrupting Rob, "What's so funny?" Rob demanded. "Nothing really, it's just the thought of you comparing your understanding of Pete to Jack's. Let's face it. Jack is the only one here who knows Pete in the most intermit of ways. Don't you think someone who has spent weeks sleeping next to and with Pete would know him a little better?" Rob looked at his friends and sighed nodding his agreement. "The real question is what do we do about what we think has happened." The five looked at each other listening to the laughter from upstairsl not sure what to do.
Tiff looked around Pete's room. Her attention was fixated on his bookshelf. "Feel free; the ones you are after are in the middle of the third shelf." Pete laughed looking at the eagerness on Tiff's face. Tiff turned at looked at the short slender Fifth, she was smiling. "I know the perfect group for you." Pete raised an eyebrow waiting for Tiff to continue. "They even have and abnormality with them. A Fifth as powerful as you could use that." Pete got a faraway look and a somewhat dreamy expression. He breathed out whispering Greg's name. Tiff looked at him startled at Pete's knowledge of the Abnormality's name.
"Do you know Greg and the others?" Pete looked over at Tiff and smiled slightly. Tiff was a little confused at Pete's reaction to her question. Pete just grinned, "Not yet, but I'm sure I will."
To be continued
If you enjoy this story or the other stories at Nifty please donate at http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
For comments and feedback contact me at markalarner@live.com.au